Trick Questions From The Police Part II: "Do You Know How Fast You Were Driving?"

If you’ve ever been pulled over by the police, you’ve probably been asked the following question: Do you know how fast you were driving?”
It’s a common trick question that most people don’t know how to answer.
In this video, attorney Hannah Akintoye explains why it is a trick question and also gives a solution on how to respond to it.
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I am attorney Hannah Akintoye, a Washington, DC lawyer helping everyday people navigate through life's legal battles when charged with a crime. My Washington, DC law practice focuses on criminal defense, DUI, criminal record expungements, and injury representation (car accidents and slip and fall accidents).
If you have any questions, or if you are interested in having me as a speaker at your next event or podcast episode, feel free to contact me:
Phone: [phone]
Website: www.MyDcLaw.com
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[@benwhittle7204]

My response to this question has always been “no, I was paying attention to the road”. I am yet to find a police officer tell me I should be paying more attention to my speedo than the road, they can’t.

[@kimberlyjones8152]

That's good 👍

[@xellanchaos5386]

Honestly, same.

[@Dargonhuman]

Why were you wearing a speedo...?

[@xellanchaos5386]

@@Dargonhuman You probably meant it as a joke, but just in it wasn't, Speedo is short for Speedometer in this case.

[@Dargonhuman]

@@xellanchaos5386 Speedo is a brand of swimwear infamous for being very form fitting and skimpy.

[@WigWoo1]

I feel like if I asked the cop "you don't know how fast I was going?" The cop is gonna think I'm being a smart-ass and ill get even worse punishment

[@OlivierCaron]

I would just say "I'm sorry officer, why exactly did you stop me?". He'll be smart enough to know that you know your rights.

[@SM-yz4hi]

just don’t ask it in a smart assy way

[@luciddreemurr6073]

@@OlivierCaroni would cut the sorry part out, you can be incriminated for apologizing because it counts as a confession (for whatever reason)

[@gaaraxnaru]

@@luciddreemurr6073 Not with the context of the full sentence. You're "apologizing" for changing the subject in a way, which shows "politeness" that they can't ignore. Not without themselves looking like the rude one.

[@TheLoneClaw]

@@luciddreemurr6073 "I'm officer, why exactly did you stop me?" "... What?"

[@markrobinson891]

A guy in a Porsche was doing 130. The cop who pulled him over said “Man, I’ve been waiting all day for you.” The driver replied, “I got here as soon as I could.”

[@inkman002]

Nice! 😆

[@jacobstrupe2426]

Legend 😂

[@theredpillneo2296]

Really goes to show how shitty a life they must have if they look forward to ruining someone’s day...

[@markrobinson891]

@@theredpillneo2296 it’s a joke man. Take it easy.

[@jackiewiliams1510]

😂😂😂😂

[@kristenbooks]

one of the few actually useful-in-life things I learned in high school was from my government teacher, who told us to never admit that we knew we were speeding, because it admits wrongdoing. I've always answered this question by saying I didn't know my exact speed because I was paying attention to the road. Not sure why, of all things, that's the one that stuck with me, but I'm glad it did.

[@geetee2694]

I admitted to going about twice the posted speed only because it wasn't like I was only going a few miles over. There was also a car in the next lane and a little behind (no we weren't 'racing'). I've also admitted to ~20 over because there was an accident and I had seen the guy since I pulled onto the Boulevard. Everything has context.

[@kayb4995]

Yeah I had a good high school teacher and he taught us all about not having to id and getting badge numbers and this was in the 80s. That was prime time for cops. They took all sorts advantage of us back then. No cameras

[@adamd9166]

@kristenbooks that's probably the best way to address it. "My eyes were on the road, not my speedometer." That way, they can't say you weren't paying attention.

[@Dr.VonBraun]

I was pulled over once for "using my cell phone while driving." (This is illegal in Washington State). This was the Officers excuse. When she first walked up to my car she said hello, identified herself and asked why if I knew why she pulled me over. I said, "nope." She proceeded to say, "well, I do, you had your phone in your hand while driving and that's illegal!" I nodded and asked what how can I help you? She looked at me rather puzzled and asked for my DL and proof of insurance, which I handed to her. She came back with my ticket and explained it to me. I said thank you have a nice day and went on my way. A couple of months later, when I went to Court to contest this, she actually showed up and gave her version of events. The Judge got the Officers statement and read over the file. The Judge then asked me why I was pleading not guilty. I proceeded to tell the Judge that I had had my phone in my cell phone holder, on my dashboard. I had touched the screen because I was driving and using Waze, but did not have the phone in my hand, as the Office assumed I did. I also proceeded to show the Judge with pictures, that my windows are tinted and at that time in the morning, in January, that it would be impossible for anyone to see into my car, especialy when it's still dark outside. I proceeded tell the Judge that the Officer probaly thought that she saw the phone in my hand because she might have seen my arm move away from the screen and the screen may have changed, assuming that I had my phone in my hand. The Judge asked the Officer if she in fact saw me with my phone in my hand and she started to backpedal and said that she thought she saw that, and that's why she stopped me. The Judge dropped the ticket. The Officer didn't look too amused. I said thank you your Honor and I looked right at the Officer and smiled. She was shooting daggers at me as I walked out of the Court Room.

[@hb-ol9oc]

Perhaps you could have explain that to the officer and avoid the ticket and all that waist of time going to court. who has time for that ?

[@andreroy8141]

Well done. My father taught me as a teen to take every ticket to court. Because I would learn a lot more about how it all works. I did just what he said. I definitely got out of my share of tickets. I used to do a lot driving. However driving while Black I got pulled over a lot more than most.

[@mtdewchallenger]

@@hb-ol9oc Right, because the officer would have believed that. NOT !! I've had mixed results from presenting the facts to an accuser. They aren't investigating at the point they have you pulled over, they're simply looking for MORE . They are incapable of believing that there is the slightest possibility that they are incorrect. We had had the seat belt law about three years when I got my first belt ticket. I deserved it, I had simply forgotten to put it on. I plead guilty. The second was at an afternoon roadblock. A Sheriff Deputy was staged closer but across the road a couple feet lower in elevation, sitting in a cruiser. She called ahead and accused me of no seat belt in my Voyager. WRONG !! I was on my way to DMV to register a vehicle and had applied the belt less than three minutes earlier as I left work. TICKET ! After DMV, I went home and got a camera and simulated cruiser position and elevation by using tire track that indicated her position. Pleading not guilty got another court date two weeks later. With eight photos I went to court and showed how there was no possible way she could have seen what she claimed even if I hadn't been wearing the belt .... which I was. I also stated that EVERY TIME I had ever been issued a ticket, I plead guilty and paid the fine because I WAS guilty and that there was NO WAY I was going to change my plea because the accusation was incorrect. The judge was not convinced. Found guilty, I was given a month to pay the fine because I was unemployed and waiting unemployment. About five days later I was directed to return to court. The guilty verdict was set aside and charge dismissed. I can only guess that some research was done that confirmed my charge/plea history and maybe further conversation between Judge n Deputy. The THIRD time .... daytime again, Deputy or Trooper blew a U TURN to stop n accuse me of no seat belt. WRONG AGAIN !! This time I had my wife next to me, adult daughter in back seat along with her boyfriend. We played the usual game of " do you know why I stopped you", "not a freakin' clue. I KNOW I wasn't speeding and my stickers are good", "you didn't have your seat belt on". " You are incorrect officer. It didn't happen that way. My belt has been on since leaving my driveway. I have three witnesses who will swear in court that you are WRONG !! ". There was MORE at an escalating level (on my part) that planted a seed of doubt in his mind. I told him this was the second time that I had been wrongly accused of this infraction and that it was a load of BULLSHIT and I would fight this one too and that we would be going to court over it. He finished with " maybe I was incorrect. Be sure to wear it all the time ". I assured him that I complied with the ignorant law even though I disagreed with it. There is nothing that pisses me off more than accusing me of wrongdoing when I am innocent !!

[@erikrunnel7165]

@@hb-ol9oc nope...just would delay the inevitable. Cops have quota, they're revenue collectors afterall, and she was hell bent on giving him a ticket especially if it went down the way he described.

[@joesmith1574]

@@erikrunnel7165 they don’t have quotas, but they can b a$$ holes! The cop with the most tickets win!

[@LearningFast]

Just simply answer “Yes”. Don’t say anything more after that. You are not obligated to tell the officer how fast you were going but there is no harm in telling him you know what your speed was.

[@rayubinger9780]

But then he will certainly ask you to specify. Once you answer one question it gets harder to stop. If you say ANYTHING, don't SAY anything. :)

[@robertp330]

You can simply answer yes. If the officer asks you to give him a speed, Then I answer a question with a question. Why did you pull me over? You have now indicated that you were paying attention and you know how fast you were going. But when he asks you how fast you were going you Demand to understand why you were pulled over.

[@larryw5429]

If you forgot I'm am not going to remind you!!

[@johnengland8619]

I ride a motorcycle and once I go over the speed limit I never look again, I consider myself "at speed" so that would be my answer

[@nintendogamer5472]

I am super vigilant of the speed limit and only go at most 5 over as most of my police friends say their departments say not to stop unless they are going 9 or more over. I have never been asked how fast I'm going it's always more vague, do you know why I stopped you , and I answer no I am not sure. The 1 or 2 times I was asked how fast I was going I just play dumb and say I had cruise controls set at speed limit. My ex gf dad was a judge and former sheriff and the advice he gave me was always be polite and answer no sir, yes sir. He said in his days as a judge if you answer respectful he gives you the minimum and if you answer yeah or nah he gives minimum. I have got warnings every time after and hate to see people argue or threaten cops, you will never win.

[@ErikAdiguno]

I always wave my hand and say, "these are not the jedi you're looking for". Works everytime!

[@sergioleone4215]

Retired LEO. One of the first things I learned from my field training officer was to never ask the question, "do you know how fast you were driving?" I was taught to approach the motorist and tell them exactly why I stopped them and request their drivers license. "Good afternoon sir, the reason I stopped you is that I clocked you traveling at 80mph in a 55mph zone. May I see your drivers license please? Done and done.

[@ForestToFarm]

My dad died when I was 16. He left me a 69 Camaro. Its was set up for pro stock drag racing. I drove it home for the first time at about 2am one night from my uncles house. I wanted to see what it could do. The roads were mostly flat as a pancake and you could see for miles. It was farm country and plowed fields. No crossroads where I hit 110 miles an hour when I noticed head lights very far back behind me. I watched as they were closing in on me. I thought either someone wants to race or I got a cop on my tail. As I went into a slight dipped area I decided to pull over and wait to see who it was. Pretty sure I could have outrun them but that is not who I am. They come into this dip and fly past me at a very high rate of speed. Slam the breaks on then hit reverse and bring it in behind me. I put both hands outside my window with drivers license and registration in hand. Also turned on my interior lights. He came walking up slowly. Stood back a minute scoping out the interior then walked up and asked did I have any idea how fast I was going. I said yes sir 110 miles an hour. He then said why did you stop? I said it was my first time driving it and I have traveled this road hundreds of times so I just had to see what it could do. Told him the rest of the story on my dad. He said sorry to hear about your dad. Then he says do you mind lifting the hood. I say no problem. He commented on the dual point distributer the intake, carb and various things and then started describing his hot rod lol. He said tonight is your lucky night. You did everything right here and I am gonna let you go. Just keep the racing on the track from here on out. I was like yes sir and thank you very much with a big smile. I gave that man full respect as I was in the wrong. He gave me compassion in return. Never gonna forget that night. I am nearly 62. That was almost 46 years ago. Terry

[@kylezo]

@@ForestToFarmTerry, no disrespect, but you're white. Cops have killed hundreds of innocent people at traffic stops in just the last 3 years for the exact same thing.

[@andrewthomason3857]

Sometimes they’ll follow up the “I clocked you at 80 mph in a 55 mph zone” with something like “is there a reason for your speed today?” to try to manipulate you into making an admission.

[@Walkercolt1]

EXACTLY! Like an attorney, NEVER ASK A SUSPECT A QUESTION YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO!!!-My late marvelous training officer, Sgt. Losure Brown all 6'8" and close to 300 lbs (no FAT) of him. He was a gem of a LEO. 99% of the time, he was gentle as puppy, unless you got WRONG with him. I saw him lay-out a doper high on something, with ONE TAP of his baton. Five other City Po-po had been knocked senseless by the guy. One bar fight, one LOSURE!

[@seenochasm7101]

@@ForestToFarmdon’t make em like they used to Terry 🥲

[@tinygnat]

Cop: "You were driving kinda fast..." Me: "Well officer, my wife's getting pregnant tonight and I wanna be there when it happens."

[@christiansalazar4604]

And this comment wins the Internet.

[@anthonyjhartman]

This is legitimately the best comment in this entire section 😂😂

[@fireicelightarrows]

Cop: “So YOU’RE Dave! I’ll meet you there!”

[@oddoneout1835]

Graphic.

[@TheRecon1a]

Omg that is priceless 😂

[@pianotm]

My wife's step-father got pulled over once and the officer told him, "You know this is a one-way street, right?" Her stepdad said, "That's okay, I was only going one way." Cop thought it was funny, told him not to do it again, and let him go.

[@thefnaffan2]

Lmao

[@Rock_Reggae_Riff]

Best reply I've heard so far lmao

[@crazygamer-mr6nr]

Lmao

[@kberken]

pianotm... Lol! That's the punchline to a long story I told in high school for a leadership class and won first place with it. I had to tell it again at the dinner at the end of the year with my whole family at the head table! First time I've heard that line again in 55 years!

[@kevak1236]

I was speeding years ago when young and foolish. I came round a blind bend and saw 2 cops had pulled over a car about 50 yards away. I slammed on my brakes as the 2nd cop was reaching for his handheld radar gun. As i pulled past them at 'exactly' 30 mph the cop with the radar gun looked at me and gave me a hand clap as i drove past.

[@keepcrawling360]

A state trooper pulled me over and asked me the same question. When I didn't answer his question he started to get visibly upset at me as I knew I was not speeding. He instead went back to his cruiser and wrote me a citation for careless driving despite having no evidence or providing me with any reasoning. If they want to write you a ticket they will.

[@SeattleSpursFan1882]

I bet your attorney had a blast embarrassing the cop, the jurisdiction, and the DA, who brought charges, during trial.

[@kylezo]

@@SeattleSpursFan1882who has that kind of money? This country only has "justice" for the wealthy

[@chiefjoseph8154]

Dash cam, get one.

[@ShortArmOfGod]

And then everyone clapped.

[@werdwerdus]

​@@SeattleSpursFan1882unless you have hard proof, the court will ALWAYS believe officer testimony as fact.

[@Poppy2Five]

I'm a retired state trooper, and I never asked the question, "Do you know how fast you were going?" because then I'm inviting the driver to lie and it would lead to arguments alongside the roadway. I would immediately tell the driver why they were pulled over and use positive statements.

[@machinis]

As a former LEO, I remember my instructor saying: "do not ever ask stupid questions like do you know how fast you were going... this isn't Jeopardy. And if you don't know how fast they were going, don't pull someone over."

[@ihave35cents95]

That's odd I don't think I've ever been pulled over without being asked that question

[@DemonMage]

Yes, but then how do cops meet their quotas. You know, the ones departments swear up and down don't exist and yet the last week of the month there isn't a single car in the station and they're all out looking for any minor infraction to blow out of proportions?

[@victorvazquez5439]

The point of the question is to get the driver to confess to a crime.

[@macmcleod1188]

I was pulled over for speeding tickets three times in the last 42 years of driving and every time they asked either "do you know what speed you were going?" or "do you know why I pulled you over?" And I've seen videos by both police officers and lawyer saying the purpose of that question is to get you to self-incriminate yourself.

[@jedidiah5131]

Bull shit you were never an LEO officer...

[@AReese-eu5zs]

Two occasions to NEVER speed; going through small towns during the wee hours and in construction zones. I drive a semi and it’s 99% certainty that there’s a patrol car sitting in the dark or parked in a lot. In construction zones, it’s just common courtesy to respect the worker’s. Most, like us, have families to go home to.

[@Bama1963]

Make it three occasions, school zones.

[@AReese-eu5zs]

@@Bama1963, you’re so right!

[@JoeMicalizziMPC]

You are 100% right about small towns and not even over the speed limit by just a few miles!!! Watch out for those speed signs for sudden drops in speed limit. This is a main source of income for that town/village!

[@AReese-eu5zs]

@@JoeMicalizziMPC, yea sir, the speed limit will go from 55 to 45, then 30 or 25 in less than half mile.

[@donaldthomas7070]

What irritates me about road construction zones, though, is that there will be signs out indicating, say, a 45 mph speed limit on a freeway where the usual speed limit is 65. There will be all the signs of construction-EXCEPT actual construction workers.

[@rad4924]

My main technique is to always drive sober and never speed. It's worked brilliantly so far.

[@werdwerdus]

do you also exclusively practice Driving While White? I've heard that's also extremely helpful

[@jasontimothywells9895]

Every time I have been pulled over and asked if I had been drinking I come back with a why , do I look dehydrated, they always trip out and get confused and walk away saying something to the order of have a nice night , they do not know what to think , one cop started laughing and said to me that was the best response he ever got and told me I got him . The honesty of the fact I do not drink alcohol or do drugs . Being sober allows one to act sharp and witty without hesitation .

[@billgreen576]

In addition to this in the UK if you say 'no', you have just admited to driving without due care and attention. A more serious offence than a minor speeding offence.

[@armoricain]

Exactly, that is why it is REALLY a trick question!

[@doodar21]

@@armoricain In the USA we still have some rights and a little freedom, but its disappearing fast.

[@billgreen576]

@@doodar21 What rights and freedoms have disappeared in the US and when were they given and taken away. I know the freedom to use marijuana was taken away by very dubious means.

[@dynamicworlds1]

@Bill Green “You want to know what this was really all about? The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying. We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” -John Ehrlichman, President Richard Nixon’s domestic policy chief Also, we're nowhere near the top of the world freedom index. In 2017 we placed 27th, scoring particularly low on press freedom which we ranked in 2021 at 44th, lower than every European country west of Poland among many others in Europe and around the world (and our ranking has been fairly consistently falling since 2013 where we ranked 32nd, only getting upwards movement during the years of presidential elections). Likewise, privacy rights, both from the government and corporations have been in near freefall since 9/11, workers rights have been falling for over 5 _decades_ to the point where the international trade union confederation ranks us in category 4 out of 5 for _violations_ or worker's rights (that's "systemic violations of rights", btw, and puts us in the company of Kenya, Haiti, Ethiopia, Mexico, Pakistan, Venezuela, etc and WORSE than the Bamamas, Hungary, Jordan, Madagascar, Poland, Russia, the UK etc, which 'only' have "Regular violations of rights") "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free"

[@billgreen576]

@@dynamicworlds1 Well said Dynamic. As well written summary of the real situation in the US as any I have seen but I doubt that is what Roger D meant but now anyone who reads this is now aware. I am constantly astonished at the number of Americans who live in Third world conditions or have lost everything due to a minor medical issue and still think they live in the best of all societies. There is no doubt it can be very good if you have money but so can most places. But if you have an economic hitch it can be brutal.

[@joshuapeterson9642]

DO NOT answer a question with a question unless you're looking to get confrontational with an officer. Avoiding confrontation with a police officer is the best idea.

[@Nat_the_Chicken]

Yeah I'm not sure why you wouldn't just say "I don't know." Not knowing your exact speed at that moment isn't illegal, and that way their natural response is just to tell you the speed. The only downside is that this enables the officer to make up a speed, but if they're going to do that they would probably have done it anyway.

[@771shadowolf]

@@Nat_the_Chicken its not illegal but then your trapped. you say no then the officer says you where driving fast, or even over the speed limit

[@crstph]

@@Nat_the_Chicken if you say “i don’t know” you are literally giving the officer free license to make up whatever number they want on a ticket, and you can’t fight back or deny it because you just admitted you don’t know. my current plan is to say “yes,” and if he asks further say that i was following the speed of traffic-at that point, if he wants to give me a ticket for speeding he will, or if he actually pulled me over for something else then he’ll probably bring that up.

[@saberfan]

Like how

[@Nat_the_Chicken]

@@crstph Well, in my experience, officers don't tend to give tickets if they don't feel like they absolutely have to. But I realize my experience is far from the norm, I have a lot of privilege and I live in a very safe area. So I guess you kind of have to change up your strategy depending on where you live and what you know about police interactions in that area.

[@jenhalbert3001]

Thanks so much, Hannah, I'll pass this around. Have a lovely collection of holidays and happy impending 2022.

[@richarddye9170]

"Do you know why I pulled you over?" "Sorry officer, I'm not a mind reader."

[@erikkaye1114]

It's like the question a cop once asked me, "if I look inside your car, what will I find?" It's also a trick question, and it tricked me! Looking in my car would have been an illegal search, which is protected in the Constitution. He's only allowed to look if he has "probable cause." By asking his trick question, "will I find something?" he's fishing around for me to give him probable cause. Which I did, because he made it sound like he already knew what he would find and he was just playing with me. But if I wasn't scared, I would have realized that he couldn't possibly know what he would find, even if he had a reasonable guess! Once I told him -- there was something -- he then had his probable cause making his search no longer illegal. A lawyer explained all this to me after it happened. The trick question is a kind of gaslighting; it makes you doubt your own capacity to understand what's going on!

[@isaac.e]

How should you answer the question? Just saying “I don’t know” or what

[@unhealthyquinoa8333]

Tell the officer the truth if there's nothing illegal in your car. You can just say "I do not carry or own anything illegal officer." If they ask to search, you don't have to consent and just restate that there is honestly nothing of interest to look for.

[@VioStarclad]

Just say "I don't consent to searches" and "am I being detained or am I free to go?"

[@arandomsupra]

@@unhealthyquinoa8333 "Listen officer, there is definitely _nothing_ illegal in my car" That literally sounds like yiu have somethung illegal in your car. If theres nothing illegal why not let them search?

[@quanerams]

Just don’t have anything in your car that you’re not supposed to, problem solved.

[@reb1050]

The last time I got pulled over for speeding, the cop asked that question. My response was simple and definitely true. "I was going a little slower than the truck in front of me, and a little faster than the car behind me." This was upon entering a small town speed trap and although we were all traveling the same speed, I was targeted because I was from out of state and the cop knew I would not take the time off to drive 300 miles back to that state in order to fight the ticket in court.

[@clasicradiolover]

You don't have to go to court. Send a lawyer to represent you.

[@reb1050]

@@clasicradiolover Oh, yeah. That's the way to go. Get my lawyer in GA, to go all the way to AR. for a court date over a speeding ticket. Or, hire a lawyer in AR, that I do not know and have never met, to represent me? You have got to be kidding. Do you have any idea what that would cost me? The ticket alone was less than $100. I think it was around $50. 1st. offense, less than 15 mph over the speed limit and 15 yrs. ago.

[@40billwaugh]

I live in Jersey. I got a ticket in North Carolina. I hired a lawyer from Charlotte who got it reduced to a non moving violation and no points. As a result, no increase in insurance premiums. Money well spent. Also, I did not have to leave home to go to court.

[@reb1050]

@@40billwaugh Being from GA and not AR, and seeing as how the violation was less than 15 mph over the posted speed limit (45 in a 35), I received no points and my insurance did not go up. I bet a lawyer would have cost me more than the ticket did.

[@clasicradiolover]

@@reb1050 you hire a local lawyer we truck drivers do it all the time

[@marcilk7534]

Long time ago I was driving on a highway coming into a city where the speed slowed down. I’ve taken this route many times and knew exactly where to slow down and how much, which I did. Checked my speed, steady 55, no issue, until a cop pulled out in front of me. I stopped paying attention to my speed then because I already checked it. But the cop started going faster and faster, and I didn’t realize because I was then driving in relation to him. Not long after I drove under an overpass, and another cop pulled out and stopped me for speeding. They totally trapped me on purpose. If the one wouldn’t have lured me, I would have stuck with the speed I started at which was fine.

[@thomasdaum1927]

This is why they have cruise control !

[@marcilk7534]

@@thomasdaum1927 Wasn’t a great area for cruise control. Just getting into the city.

[@thomasdaum1927]

@@marcilk7534 In the city I live in I use cruse control all the time ! I don’t race from red light to red light like most idiots !……

[@perpetualjon]

Your turn-around response question is fantastic! Thanks for sharing this video.

[@nispelsm]

The one and only time I had a cop pull me over and ask that question, I was on my bicycle, and his question was actually in earnest. I was doing 40 in a 35. He admitted he pulled me over just so he could find out how I managed to get a bike going that fast. He was pretty cool about it, and had apparently never seen a 21-speed bike before.

[@isaiahwelch8066]

Never been pulled over for that, but I have a 21-speed mountain bike with street tires -- and I can definitely attest to the fact that I can get my bike up to 45 mph, as I dont have the rolling resistance of knobby tires. Though to be fair, I've never seen the need for a speedo, as every "speed laws" on the books do not apply to human-propelled conveyances (its not a "vehicle" as defined by law, since a bicycle cannot be used for the purpose of "transportation" as defined by SCOTUS).

[@Richard-Vlk]

@@isaiahwelch8066 Can you produce a link to that SCOTUS ruling, please?

[@isaiahwelch8066]

@@Richard-Vlk : Look up the definition of "transportation" in Black's Law Dictionary online -- it will have, if I recall, 3 cases that are listed as reference cases for the definition. An important thing to note is that "transportation," as defined by SCOTUS, only refers to those entities who are _carriers._ In other words, if you're not a carrier, you don't engage in transportation. If you don't engage in transportation, you never use a "vehicle" as defined by the laws in every state I know of. Why is this? Because every state is pre-empted by the SCOTUS rulings that federally define what "transportation" is, and by extension, what it isn't. Therefore, no state can define what "transportation" is under state law, which means that the activity that is connected to using a "vehicle" under state law, is not defined by state law, since the legal rulings by SCOTUS supercede any definition made under state law, and apply nationwide.

[@MM-jf1me]

@@isaiahwelch8066 I was curious about this as I know Georgia considers bicycles to be vehicles. Which edition of Black's Law Dictionary are you using? It's up to edition 11, but the fourth edition was available as a free PDF and a bicycle is under the definition of a vehicle: "A bicycle; Sharkey v. Herman Bros., 3 N.J.Misc. 126, 127 A. 525, 526; Tulsa Ice Co. v. Wilkes, 54 Okl. 519, 153 P. 1169, 1171." Full definition of vehicle, minus the case law sources: "VEHICLE. That in or on which a person or thing is or may be carried from one place to another, especially along the ground, also through the air; ally moving support or container fitted or used for the conveyance of bulky objects; a means of conveyance. Any carriage moving on land, either on wheels or runners;: a conveyance; that which is used as an instrument of conveyance, transmission or communication. "Any carriage, conveyance, or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on land,--not ordinarily including locomotives, cars, and street cars which run and are operated only over and upon a permanent track or fixed way, unless the context of the ordinance 'or statute in question clearly indicates an intention to the contrary. The word includes a street sprinkler, but not a ferry boat, nor a domestic animal, unattached to a vehicle or a conveyance. It has also been held to include a scraper used to remove snow from ice which was to be cut, particularly since the scraper had facilities for dumping and unloading and was horse-drawn. A combined thresher and cleaner, mounted on axles and wheels, while being drawn from farm to farm. A bicycle. A motorcycle. And it includes an automobile even though, at the time of the enactment of the legislation involved, automobiles were not in use. The term was held not to include a street car in the following cases: .... "As used in various statutes, however, the word is often given a somewhat narrower meaning than that which might be indicated by the above definition. Thus, it has been held that the term is inapplicable to a hand sled, to a child's coaster, and to an elevator. "But as defined in the Tariff Act, it has a much broader meaning, and includes any sort of conveyance used in the transportation of passengers and merchandise either by land or by water or through the air." I think the definition of transportation isn't really useful for our purposes here as it seems to be referring to transporting goods or persons by a carrier such as a train or ferry or it refers to exiling a criminal as a type of punishment. "TRANSPORTATION. The removal of goods or persons from one place to another, by a carrier. "Criminal Law: A species of punishment consisting in removing the criminal from his own country to another, (usually a penal colony,) there to remain in exile for a prescribed period." Just to be sure that this dictionary wasn't meaning to imply that vehicles only exist as means of transport by hired carriers, I checked their definition of driver and it confirms that one can drive one's own bicycle, which is a vehicle. "DRIVER. One employed in conducting or operating a coach, carriage, wagon, or other vehicle, with horses, mules, or other animals, or a bicycle, tricycle, or motor car, though not a street railroad car. A person actually doing driving, whether employed by owner to drive or driving his own vehicle." So looks like at least in the 1960s Georgia was correct to define bicycles as vehicles. Do you know of any more recent case law that changes the definition?

[@Richard-Vlk]

@@MM-jf1me I think he confuses traffic with transportation.

[@_Teddy_The_Bear]

I drive Hybrid, and I'm usually very aware of how much fuel I'm burning, and by extension, how fast I'm driving and who else is around me. The last time an Officer pulled me over and asked that question, I actually wasn't speeding, and had just been passed by a couple of kids in "Tuner cars". So the conversation went like this..... "Do you know what the speed limit is on this road?" "Forty Five" "Do you know how fast you were going?" "Forty Five" "I clocked you at Fifty Eight" "I don't believe that for a second, and I don't think you do either" "Would you like me to show you the Radar?" "Sure thing, and while you're at it, I want to see the dashcam footage showing you clocked me and not those two other cars that sped passed us you didn't bother chasing. Because if you'd like I'll be able to show you my GPS record showing Forty Five" I did NOT get a speeding ticket that day....

[@livenhfree]

I had a buddy in a similar situation, ask the cop to point the radar gun at a tree.

[@_Teddy_The_Bear]

@@livenhfree 🤔

[@MrTheHillfolk]

@@livenhfree I point to my dashcam and say: is that the story you're going with ?

[@davekavanagh7599]

I would have taken the ticket, had my day in court and produced my own dashcam footage. Making those dipshits look like dipshits: priceless

[@jedidiah5131]

Another bullshit story!

[@ForestToFarm]

Y’all are gonna love this one. My mom gets pulled over. Cop walks up. Before he says anything my mom says sorry I know I should have used a turn signal back there but I didn’t see anyone so I didn’t feel the need to use it. Cop says that’s not why I pulled you over. She then says well sorry I didn’t make a complete stop back there. He again says mam that’s not why I pulled you over either. It’s been years ago but she indicated another violation she had committed. Then the cop says with a big laugh mam I just wanted to let you know your left tail light is not working. Then he lets her go. No ticket lol😂. Terry

[@JohnDoe-on6ru]

"Hey officer, man you must have been going REALLY fast to catch up with me!"

[@Murph9000]

"I'm not certain, officer, I was concentrating on the road in front of me." 100% success rate in the UK, used many times over decades. It gives them absolutely nothing and keeps you clear of a without due care ticket. In the alternative, where they don't ask a question but just say something about speed and leave some silence for you to fill. "I don't really have a good response to that." It avoids both the lie and the admission of guilt. Also, try to avoid sounding like a smartass while giving those responses, act relatively humble. Most cops, in my experience, will respect you not dropping yourself in it, if you give them the respect of not going for bad attitude or an obvious lie.

[@Zeuts85]

That excuse doesn't work quite so well in the U.S. where our entire road system is designed like a bunch of preschoolers were handed crayons to draw it on a map. For a lot of places in the UK the roads are actually designed for their intended speed, so if you're paying attention to the road itself it's hard to go wrong. It's hard to justify it in the U.S. where most roads are giant, open thoroughfares designed as though you should be going 90 mph but actually the speed limit is 35 mph because the idiots build it right through the middle of a town.

[@arandomsupra]

@@Zeuts85 Roundabouts

[@dogelife7901]

@@Zeuts85 bingo. Thats why a few states have no speed limits on some stretches. Some are getting g up to 70 which is an improvement. But then there is a 5 laner nearby that speed limit was 55. For a road 5 damned lanes wide? Stupid.

[@Murph9000]

@@codyb.3015 They do have signs, which are treated more as a suggestion by a very large proportion of the population. In my lifetime, I've seen it steadily reduce, but can remember when 140 mph in a 70 mph limit wasn't too unusual for people in a suitable car and with good traffic and weather conditions. That's no longer tolerated, and hasn't been for a while. More commonly, a major motorway between cities has an unofficial 90 mph (in a 70) limit for cars when conditions are good, with easily half of the cars doing more than 80. Many people routinely do about 20 mph over in good conditions (or 10 mph over in urban areas). It's generally tolerated as long as you're not being crazy about it and slow for hazards and conditions.

[@PrettyPinkPeacock]

@@Murph9000 i think the ten percent rule is probably more common in the UK. If you're going 22 in a 20 zone that's normal, but 30 you're speeding, even if you're not going to get honked.

[@Czechbound]

My father's advice if ever having to deal with the police was "always respect the fact that they can make you have a very bad day". "Yes Sir. No Sir. And answer their questions truthfully and politely" was his advice. Luckily, I never intentionally speed. But I have friends who, while doing their best to keep to the speed limit, were pulled for doing 31kph in a 30kph zone ( true story ). So in that circumstance, the police have become tax collectors, nothing more. This just undermines respect for them in the community.

[@ronparker8582]

Solving crime doesn't pay their bills, writing citations pays their bills. Solving crime is just advertising the service. Policing for profit is a crime against the citizenry.

[@bradleyperry1735]

@@ronparker8582 Cops don’t get paid anything extra to write tickets unless it’s some sort of traffic enforcement overtime detail.

[@ronparker8582]

@@bradleyperry1735 The city, state, county revenue generated by citations, licenses, fines and court costs are big business and goes above and beyond our taxes. Governments don't make money, they take money.💵💰

[@bradleyperry1735]

@@ronparker8582 Citation please. Just how much do you think a municipality makes from traffic citations?

[@mnew4325]

That’s kinda weird, legally speaking they can only pull you over for speeding or going to slow within 5 miles per hour of the speed limit

[@aaronsmith7946]

Well, to play Devil's Advocate: all situations are different. I was going 20-21 mph over the limit and when he asked me, I answered "about 55?" and I looked backward through my rearview mirror at the license plate for the other side of the road and said "Oh, did it just drop to 35?" and he said "yeah, you were doing 57." After him seeing my license and seeing I was from Virginia (was up at Ocean city but was on my way to visit some people in Delaware) he asked me if I was there on vacation and I told him I was and he said "well, you have a good record and you were honest so just be careful from now on the speed limit drops by 20 in some areas along this road. However, if you can't read people and don't have any real knack for psychological intuition, best not to answer or say you thought you were going go with the flow of traffic if you can. However, never say "you pulled me over but you don't know how fast I was going?" That is somewhat belligerent and you don't want to get sarcastic with cops. This is bad advice but the lady seems nice and in most other cases, especially involving things more serious than speeding tickets, never admit to anything with the police. Also, white people get breaks more than minorities and women get more breaks than men from police. Every situation is different so if you are unsure, yeah, take the 5th.

[@emobacon]

Agreed that the advice from the last is, well, not very good. Putting the cup in a defensive position is going to piss him off. Besides, it can only work once. Myself, i HATE it when people try to answer a question with a question. So long as you are very polite Ave respectful you will have a better chance to get out of the ticket, race be damned.

[@TheNefastor]

"Not fast enough, since you managed to catch me. Gonna have to work on that."

[@r.l.royalljr.3905]

I had an officer coming from the opposite direction flip on his lights, pull a u-turn, and pull me over. He tried the old "how fast do you think you were going?" trick on me, which didn't work because I'd driven through that neighborhood to and from work for over five years and knew exactly what the limit was in that area. The officer admitted that he didn't know if it was me speeding *or the guy behind me* but since I was the one who stopped, apparently I had a guilty conscience. Got no ticket, didn't even get a warning, just got 10 minutes sucked out of my drive in to work. As the police car took off and passed me I noticed a teenager wearing a letterman jacket to one of the local high schools sitting in the passenger seat. So yeah, mister cop apparently decided to show off for his kid that morning and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even when they're doing a good job, even when they're actually doing what they're supposed to do, don't trust the police. They don't have your best interests at heart.

[@armoricain]

I am afraid I am with you, I absolutely do not trust them, I am very cynical about them, especially after being pulled over twice by Delaware troopers who lied about my speed a while back! I have no love lost for the police, that's for sure!

[@daveengstrom9250]

I was a collision reconstructionist. I investigated hundreds of collisions and fatalities. It was my job to find the actions and speeds of each vehicle in a fatality. WE DO have your best interest in mind even if you don't think so. I have seen so many dead bodies I have lost count. Everything from infants, elderly, pregnant women, people cut in half and still screaming, children killed in various places... the whole gambet. So if you have a problem with a traffic stop, thats your probem.

[@r.l.royalljr.3905]

@@daveengstrom9250 I don't have a problem with a legitimate traffic stop. I have a problem with representatives of the state dropping the hammer of their office on random citizens' heads for no other reason than "because they can."

[@briobarb8525]

@@daveengstrom9250 Have a chip do we? Accidents happen...you are a bit jaded AND biased!

[@bohemoth1]

BLESS YOU MY CHILD

[@CaveManActual]

I got pulled over once. Cop asked me "Do you know why I pulled you over?" My response was "Because real criminals frighten you...?"

[@randyivan7151]

now THATS funny!🤣

[@armoricain]

DirtyCaveManDotCom, what's the rest of the story though? Did he order you to get out of the car, turn around, lean against the car, bend over and spread your cheeks?😂😂

[@xerxes8632]

That's the question I aways get asked.

[@franciebennett9734]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@biffteutsch3402]

That’s fuggin hilarious!!!!😂🤣😂🤣

[@notednuance]

Last time I was asked I just said "I wasn't keeping a close eye on the speedometer, I was just moving with the flow of traffic" seemed to work well enough.

[@phillipmarlowe0525]

“ Do you know how fast you were driving?” Apparently not fast enough officer you caught me.

[@markuscaesar670]

It’s insane to me that we need to practice ways to verbally defend ourselves from the police. “How to avoid getting an extra ticket when an officer tries to trick you into one” America needs to change

[@slipstream7324]

They used to be called 'peace officers' now they are law enforcement. big difference

[@trevorgibbs9357]

I was thinking this the entire time, and shocked it isn’t the main topic in the comments. 🤯🤦🏽‍♂️

[@blaynegreiner9365]

Amazing people break the law so often they get involved with them so much...

[@rustyjones7908]

Could be worse. Most places the cops beat the living crap out of people.

[@andreat6882]

@@rustyjones7908 wdym. they do that here too

[@TheLyricalCleric]

“I was keeping up with traffic” or “I was keeping my eyes on traffic.” In my experience, cops don’t like it when you ask them questions, they even say “don’t answer a question with a question” and begin escalating. Our job is to deescalate so that the cop doesn’t get violent, so giving a partially sufficient answer is better than an insufficient question that might be seen as a challenge to authority.

[@nyanSynxPHOENIX]

@UC2-mVwwcQjYFB9_GFgYpGEg Your right, but sadly that's not the county we live in. If we can't hold police officers responsible, we must at least try to keep ourselves safe and alive.

[@AJ213Probably]

I agree with this, there is no need to be passive aggressive to the cops it won't make your situation better

[@Drew-im7is]

I thought the same thing

[@ajstevens1652]

I agree, but as a lawyer her job is to challenge authority I suppose.

[@christopherboisvert6902]

If any cops get violents because of your answer. You shouls sue their asses.

[@halroy9610]

Cop: " Why are you in such a hurry?" Me: " I knew you were waiting for me, so I got here as quick as I could."

[@Lilwitchyreads]

I got pulled over and asked this question and I responded “well I believe I was going the speed limit.” (I really did think I was!) and the cop responded “well if you were going the speed limit be wouldn’t be here now would we.” His tone was so rude! I’m still not even convinced I was really speeding.

[@jasonlacroix6083]

"Do you know how fast you were going?" "I was going the same speed as my vehicle."

[@somebodyelse6673]

That's the funniest reply to that question I've heard so far. Good show!

[@jasonlacroix6083]

@@somebodyelse6673 I get some wood on the ball, every once and a while.

[@razorbak6783]

I almost spit my beer on my screen....lmao

[@FanceeName]

🤣

[@seraglioborneo2803]

Ha ha

[@nottelling4205]

As a former cop my advice is "Officer, I don't answer questions." No matter what they ask. No matter what they say. No matter what the accuse you of. Never talk to a cop. They are NOT your friend.

[@Ministry_Of_Silly_Walks]

No you weren’t

[@RussianOldSpice]

Yes well said 👏🏻

[@nonamewhorehey7174]

thank you for being honest. they also werent driving, but traveling but i like your method because holding court withem will provoke an escalated argument that usually ends up being inconvenienced.

[@hartsfire5706]

cops are trained to lie and love to hide behind qualified immunity witch need to be removed totally and back dated just like the games that law makers like to play , make a new law and then back date it .

[@nottelling4205]

@@hartsfire5706 I fully agree about qualified amenity. The Blue Gang depends on it. When they are sued and the community pays out thousands it doesnt change a thing for them and therefore they dont change.

[@jasonhorn901]

Thanks for taking the time to share your valuable insights :)

[@thesnowgoose7221]

I’m low on fuel, so I was trying to get home before the gas ran out! 😂

[@jaymzonion3113]

Per my attorney's advice, the answer to all first questions is always, "Why did you pull me over?" - The only thing they are allowed to address is the reason they pulled you over, unless you give them probable cause...so don't.

[@quanerams]

They ask you anything they want and you don’t have to answer anything. Only exception is you have to identify yourself in a verifiable manner and in some states you have to sign recognizing recipes of the ticket.

[@michaelbuffington4047]

Yup, you got to beat them to the punch. If you don’t address it up front, they’ll find multiple bs reasons.

[@martingillette7613]

@@quanerams Wow, so you speed and you know it and your advice is to not cooperate? That will ruin your day as the officer can now arrest you and take you downtown.

[@martingillette7613]

I'm pretty sure speeding would be a reason for a officer to suspect something else might be going on.

[@jaymzonion3113]

@@martingillette7613 In what way? Only people who are in the process of committing other crimes speed? Nope...the Supreme Court has ruled that they are only allowed to detain you for as long as reasonable to conduct the original reason for the stop. If he pulled you over for speeding then only address the speeding ticket. No chit chat...get the ticket and go.

[@wearytraveler3524]

In my experience, putting cops on the defensive leads to some very strange retaliatory actions! They are by nature very aggressive to begin with and do not take kindly to those who make them feel impotent! A simple statement declaring your right to silence is more effective and cannot be construed as confrontational by a Judge or Supervisor!

[@mackhomie6]

I tend to agree. I've had exceptional luck with them by being forthcoming. I would never do this with a DUI or more serious crime, but for speeding and minor offense, it seems to work. I haven't ever had a ticket and I should've had many. I've also gotten out of three duis (without admitting to anything)

[@jedidiah5131]

Sounds like you have had lots of experience....You must be a real winner!

[@mackhomie6]

@@jedidiah5131 how many tickets have you had?

[@mackhomie6]

so the cop asks if you know how fast you were going and you say "I am exercising my right to remain silent"? is this supposed to result in you _not_ getting a ticket? because I'd write you one.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

Just say "I dont answer questions " through the 1" crack you've left in your window. Ever see that video? Search it. I would simply say "I was traveling 55 (or whatever the speed limit is where you are stopped, assuming you're positive you're correct about the speed limit). Let them tell you thats not what they clocked or thought.

[@Chronic_Relapser]

So immediately start a confrontation after question #1. For some reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, I knew this would be the advice you had.

[@drtm1718]

I always say something along the lines of "I dunno, your radar gun is more accurate than the speedometer in my old shitbox car. How fast did you clock me?" Once, I even got a small town cop to admit he hadn't actually gotten a chance to get a reading on me, and I said "ok, so why did you pull me over then?" He kept threatening that he could give me a ticket anyway for speeding and for this, that, and the other, but I just said "ok, well can we get going? It's 2am, I just got off of work, and I have work in the morning." Then he tried to impress upon me that he was going to be generous and let me off with a warning, even though he absolutely could give me a citation if he wanted to. Bless his heart. 🙄

[@mikec4409]

You must be from Texas if you say "Bless his heart." 😂

[@johnjones393]

I answer that question with "I don't know officer." That reply has gotten me out of several speeding tickets over the last 32 years where I was actually speeding and deserved a ticket. I also use that reply if the cop asks, "do you know why I pulled you over?" With that reply you're not admitting guilt or saying something self-incriminating. If you get cocky with him and answer his question with another question like suggested in the video or you pled the fifth or say "I don't answer questions", you're almost guaranteed to turn a possible warning into a speeding ticket, and maybe a couple of other extra punitive tickets. Just grit your teeth, try to be civil and it might save you a whole bunch of legal trouble.

[@cyberherbalist]

I once got pulled over by a Washington state trooper on I-5, and he asked if I knew why he pulled me over. I said, I don't know, actually. He then told me that I was going 60 in a 55 zone, one of my taillights was out, and I was spending too much time in the passing lane without passing anyone. He apparently been following me for a couple of miles. I guess I looked pathetic, so he just gave me a warning and told me to get the taillight fixed.

[@kruszer]

I agree. Saying "You pulled me over but you don't know how fast I was going?" Seems EXTREMELY antagonizing! I wouldn't do it! I don't know seems safer because you're still not giving an answer but you're also forcing them to show you were speeding.

[@PleasantLeech]

Well given she's black it's likely she's been pulled over more often than you and treated more antagonistically. So the advice might be better for a cop that's not acting civil. Even regardless of who you are I personally know that cops act very different depending on where you are. Where I used to live in Tennessee being civil did not work because they were hell bent on giving tickets regardless of legality. That's what happens when police have a quota of tickets they need to write. They were like ravenous hyenas when it was a few days before the end of a month.

[@arandomsupra]

@@PleasantLeech He says to an anonymous person on the internet who they have never seen at all

[@PleasantLeech]

@@arandomsupra what's your point? That's just the entirety of youtube comments and most communication on the internet.

[@echochambers8418]

If I’m on the highway with other cars,I’ll usually say”I thought I was driving with the flow of traffic”.If I’m alone on the road I’ll say”NoSir/Ma’am what did you clock me at?”As an add on:I’ll always immediately pull over when I see the lights and remove my sunglasses(if it’s daytime)and turn the car off,roll down the window and have both hands on the wheel.If it’s at night,I’ll pull over immediately,put on the hazards,roll down the window,turn on the interior lights and again wait with both hands on the wheel. Being friendly and respectful usually puts the officer more at ease .I’ll also ask permission to grab anything they ask for.I know this is a long answer but it usually makes the whole thing a lot quicker and less confrontational.I’ve(knock on wood)had better results with this tactic.

[@joeyoungs8426]

I have a few relatives that are cops and I do the exact same thing based on their advice. I usually have my hands at 9 and 10 so they’re easily seen. I only move them when asked to retrieve something and I let them know where they’re going and always one at a time.

[@LK-bz9sk]

This is exactly how I conduct myself

[@andrewsackville-west1609]

Cop once had me dead to rights for popping a wheelie in front of him. I think the time I spent shutting off the bike, taking off my gloves and helmet, getting out my wallet and such, all while he was getting out of the car and coming up to me made all the difference. Showing a basic level of respect *while* knowing and exercising your rights is the way, in my opinion.

[@MIKEMAKESTHINGS]

Great response. The best I’ve heard. You should do a video on the merits of having a gps dash cam.

[@Kivlor]

"No, but I have a feeling you're about to tell me"

[@Phil-ui4tm]

Officer: how fast were you going? Me: How the hell should I know, I’m drunk? I’m not very good at this

[@clarkeugene5727]

Not bad at all. . . . the officer will be rolling on the ground with laughter, then you may merely drive off! Good job.

[@shrewdthewise2840]

With all due respect, speaking as a former LEO, trying to “trick” the officer or “put the officer on the defensive”, as this video suggests, is definitely NOT a good strategy to avoid getting a ticket

[@nodak81]

Why not try? These days you're likely to get beaten and/or shot to death no matter what you say or do.

[@landocalrizzzian]

You’re going to get a ticket anyway, the point is that when you contest it the officer doesn’t have a confession from you that you were tricked into giving that bolsters their case

[@RealVitaminA]

Its better just to say "I believe I was going the speed limit."

[@mr3817]

You are absolutely correct. Being smart-ass will get you a ticket FOR SURE.

[@KiX-K4T13]

Officer: Do you know how fast you were driving back there? Me: You came to me. Say what you need to, please. If there is any incriminating evidence here, I'd rather be presented with it, given my documentation suggesting said offence, so I may give it directly to my lawyer and move on with my peaceful existence. Sound good? Officer: ...License and registration please. Me: Okalee Dokalee.

[@kdonoghue]

Whenever I pulled anyone over for speeding, I already knew how fast they were going. I did ask the question, "Do you know what your speed was when you were at (blank location)?" It should not be a trick question, but one that does elicit an admission of guilt. That admission should support and be consistent with the observations of the violation. For that reason I actually agree with you. Answering with a question is a good way to re-direct the conversation in a way that is not confrontational and sometimes allows you to build rapport where you can talk your way out of it. I have never needed to fish for a violation by stopping someone for say registration, and then ticketing them for speed based solely on an admission. That is not ethical and in my thirty plus year career I have never seen any of my colleagues where I worked do anything like that. For an infraction violation it should have been witnessed by the officer and that officer should have articulable facts that support the violation separate from any admission. If I didn't see the violation, then no ticket. I agree with your advice, but your characterization that police by and large are trying to trick you is completely false. Simply put, they don't need to trick you if they observed the violation. There are plenty of people speeding so it is not like you can't find those violations, at least here in California.

[@mythmurzin]

last time i got pulled over for speeding in the late 90s, cop pulled me over. he said "you know how fast you were going?" and i replied with "yes." after a second he said "well how fast were you going?" and i said "i dont have to answer that". he was like "yes you do! i asked a valid question!" and i said "you can ask any question you want, but i have a right to remain silent, and a right not to incriminate myself." he shot back with "well then how do you know how fast you were going?" and i replied with "i always glance at my speedometer while driving so i always know how fast i am going, and on the off chance i lied and said i did not know how fast i was going, you would be able to ticket me for negligent driving for not knowing how fast i was driving. so i know how fast i was going, but i do not have to tell you." cop took my stuff, went back to his car, and gave me a ticket for 55 in a 45.

[@MsGenXodus]

I've always answered the question with a very simple, "Yes." And then proceeded to remain silent. Then, when he would say he got me at XX mph, I would simply say that I disagree with him according to my speedometer. There was only 1 time I was unable to get out of a speeding ticket, but the judge still reduced the fine to next to nothing. If you are able, always fight traffic tickets. The burden of proof is on the officer, so your chances of getting the fines dismissed or substantially reduced are very good.

[@We_Are_Borg_478]

You could just follow the speed limit and never have to deal with police in the first place. What makes you think that your schedule is more demanding or important than the rest of us?

[@p0cket4rt]

@@We_Are_Borg_478 He never said he wasnt going the speed limit. Cops dont always follow their rules, they will pull you over for any reason (filling a quota, bordem, discrimination etc) Never trust them and buy a dashcam/body camera. Do. Not. Trust. Them.

[@We_Are_Borg_478]

@@p0cket4rt "There was only one time I was unable to get out of a speeding ticket." Implies multiple pullovers and speeding. I've been driving for 30 years and I have never been pulled over and never gotten so much as a parking violation. There really is no excuse. Don't speed and follow vehicle requirements, and you will never get pulled over. Been through multiple states, both conservative and liberal, and never had a problem.

[@landsraad9745]

@@We_Are_Borg_478 That doesn't imply they were speeding. It only implies they were issued a speeding ticket. People are falsely accused all the time.

[@We_Are_Borg_478]

@@landsraad9745 So why haven't these corrupt, dirty cops come after me in 30 years of driving? Is it a coincidence I follow the speed limit and never get pulled over?

[@youtubeaccount5153]

I knew the officer hadn’t gotten me on radar. He asked, I told him “35”. Which was the posted speed limit. And I was approaching a traffic circle so that wouldn’t have been too far off. Nothing he could do. Until he saw the tread on my rear (motorcycle) tire was too low. I told him I had a tire at home (true) and an appointment the next day to have it mounted. He asked me to be careful and let me go. Next time an officer asked me why I was in a hurry. He had me dead to rights. I told him the truth. My wife called and there was a huge snake in the chicken coop. I was trying to keep it under 15 over. But I slipped over 60 in a 45. The highway patrol around here generally come from the rural areas around here. He certainly sympathized. And let me go.

[@dogelife7901]

Ah yes the old snake in the chicken coop excuse.

[@condemned1982]

I think that saying you were driving the speed limit is the right answer, it admits no fault and corners the officer if they didn't actually get you on radar.

[@kylezo]

Sounds like you're white

[@davidekhalil944]

I once answered that question with the truth - yea i was speeding by about 8mph... The cop looked almost shocked - "wow, you told the truth." - "Well, you know the speed limit's 40 here, yes?... well then on your way.." - sometimes cops themselves are tired of the games.

[@robert-zr1kx]

My go to, always poses a similar question, "Was just following the flow of traffic, why, did you read me speeding?" Brings it back to them

[@Brian-hs6sc]

I would tend to disagree, the last time I got pulled over I was going 70 in a 60 at 11:30 at night, before the trooper got to my vehicle I rolled my window down, turned on the dome light and had both hands on the wheel, the trooper asked me if I knew why he stopped me, I said yes sir I was speeding, when he asked how fast I was going I told him 70 mph, he took my license, registration and proof of insurance, came back to my vehicle and gave me a warning, told me to slow down and to have a good evening, and before he left he thanked me for rolling down my window and putting my hands where he could see them.

[@trevorgibbs9357]

How does that make you feel?

[@ajstevens1652]

@@trevorgibbs9357 I'd imagine good because he didn't get a ticket as he showed some respect to the officer and recieved respect back?

[@SecretionOrb]

@@trevorgibbs9357 It probably makes him feel bitter. Distrusting of the system that’s out to get him. Or alternatively, he feels like he had an honest face to face interaction with another human being. He showed respect and he got respect. Honestly, if you want to see what normal policing looks like, move somewhere where it isn’t culturally normal to be cynical of the police. You would be amazed at how much of what you see in the world around you is driven by your own outlook. Go visit a small rural town, far away from Democratic policies/philosophy, and you will see how much brighter life really is in a society ruled by laws, not men.

[@racsw3]

From a logical point of view this sounds like logical and sound advice. From a pragmatic point of view, the driver sounds like a smart ass, who is bound to make a bad situation even worse. As a matter of course, this is why people should be using their cruise control to maintain a constant speed.

[@harryhoudini3656]

Most cruise control will increase speeds uphill and downhill. Then as up or downhill levels out cruise control will return to set speed. If you sound like a smart ass by answering with a question then chances are you were a smart ass already.

[@richh1576]

Tire diameter size and inflation pressure differ with ambient air pressure. Unless your vehicle's speedometer is routinely calibrated (can be done by yourself and recorded in a continuous contemporary record book) you simply cannot depend on the accuracy of any OEM speedometer. OEM speedometers (oil driven pressure gear operated from the tail shaft of a transmission) without routine calibrated verification of output are typically at a worst case are 'off' by ±5-10%, max.; IF and only if, the tires are new, pressurized to spec. and are of specified dimensions and the ambient temperature remain somewhat constant as when the speedo was (monthly) calibrated. The best, is a dash cam with imprinting GPS on the recording video (that YOU regularly verify and record the calibration accuracy .... versus time and speed that used GPS between formally surveyed & set mile marks as found commonly on 'federal' interstate highways)_ and then duly record at least monthly in a contemporaneous hard copy continuous record). Such, with that contemporaneous calibration verification record is pretty much unimpeachable evidence for an appearance before an 'honest' court.

[@bradbrockhaus633]

i always use the cruise control

[@JoeD0403]

I love when cops think I’m being a smart ass. They get mad and it’s their job to be professional and de-escalate and with video recording today, they can’t do sh*t.

[@GalileonPrime]

@@richh1576 GPS will indicate your road speed. That's how I found out my speedometer is off -2mph at 70mph.

[@RobAdieComedy]

Never had an officer ask me this, but I always check my speedometer whenever I realize I'm being pulled over. It's instinct like "Oh shoot was I speeding? I'm not. Why's he pulling me over?".. I'm not someone who speeds so it's never been a problem for me.

[@retiredarmy3755]

I'm 72 yrs old, and the few times I've been stopped and asked that, I have responded with a simple, "Why?" I never got a speeding ticket until 2014. Then I got 2 in one day! 🙂

[@TisiphonesShadow]

25 years as a cop.... The "do you know how fast you were going" question is all about honesty, and was one of the primary determiners as to whether I issued a warning or a ticket. People who were honest with me and took responsibility for their action were far more likely to benefit from the warning than the person who lied to me. First rule of cop school (and I heard it in law school as well!) is to never ask a question you don't already know the answer to.

[@Liverpoolboy01]

You also need to have an honest cop, sadly that is not always the case.

[@lsweet6568]

I'm aware that trial attorneys are taught that, but cops?... But what you're saying is a bit confusing, so you're telling the KZbin community that cops already know the answer when they ask, "do you have anything illegal in the car that I should know about?" If you mean other types of questions please let us know. A lot of us are trying to understand how to handle these situations. Any insight is helpful. Thanks in advance!

[@rickhinojosa5455]

@@lsweet6568 I think he just meant answers that they could POSSIBLY know for sure. My own way of dealing with the police is to always be honest, always be genuinely courteous, and admit guilt when I was wrong. That has saved me MANY tickets along my forty years of driving. And I used to no less than drive three hours per day, dive days per week, for twelve years. I've had police that were gruff but I didn't give him any flak and truly, I could.understand why he was rather rude when he explained that he was tired of seeing squashed people out in the country where I was speeding. I don't treat the officer as an enemy and out of maybe 25 officer interactions, only once did one seem to be really trying to push my buttons to get a reaction. The rest were all excellent. That includes the years when I was smiling dope and had to deal with them directly for some reason. 🙏

[@MrHammyHunter]

Tickets should be based on the evidence you have before you stopped someone. Otherwise you're fishing for a crime to issue a ticket for.

[@elli003]

@@lsweet6568 You seem surprised that officers would use leading and presumptive rhetorical questions to lead their investigation ? Don't underestimate them. The question; "Do you have anything illegal in the car that I should know about ?" Is just that .... a rhetorical question to observe your response. You were initially pulled over for something else, and now the officer observes or senses either alcohol, drugs, weapons or hostages could be in an active discovery prompting his reason to ask that question. Your verbal response and physical observations, and the officers training and experience play-out to determine the next step. What should you do if you are asked; "How fast do you think you were going" ? The best answer would be ........ "as fast as the law allows under these road and traffic conditions." This is your contemporaneous statement of observational awareness. It shifts the focus from speed to a fluid awareness of surroundings. It demonstrates honesty, and does so in a compliant manner by answering with a direct response.

[@Jack-hd3ov]

I feel like just answering "No" to that question is better, being a smartass and asking them why they don't already know how fast you were going seems like it would just piss them off and increase the likelihood of you getting a ticket.

[@VARIABLENEWSNETWORK]

I tell my kids this all the time!!! I love it.

[@ricvourn6404]

Very nice technique and I really like that approach. Additionally, if they do happen to follow your eye movement it might even intimidate them to stop the inappropriate behavior they’re demonstrating.

[@nyanSynxPHOENIX]

The more that I think about it, the people who say the answer should just be "yes" are probably right. If you say yes, then it shows that you are confident and were paying attention. Then, when you ask them how fast they think you were going, they know that you might be ready to contest it. If you show signs of ignorance, than they can gaslight you into thinking you were driving a speed higher than you actually were.

[@getplaning]

My answer to that question is always, "Is that why you stopped me?" It is neither challenging, (which they really hate) nor an admission, (which is what they are after). Try not to antagonize the officer, which will annoy them and cause them to escalate things. If they really push you for an answer, say, "Respectfully, sir, I'm not going to answer that question." If they ask why, be blunt. "I'm not going to give you an admission that you can use against me in court." Be assertive, but polite.

[@dynamicworlds1]

Yup, be polite, but outside of questions like to identify yourself which you may be legally obligated to answer where you live, only respond to questions with questions, evasions, respectful denial to answer, or "I do not consent to any searches, officer" The goal is to steer the conversation in the direction of "am I being detained, or am I free to go?" without directly answering anything you don't absolutely have to.

[@ronniereddix5200]

Ive been pulled over and asked that question: I answered, yes, I know how fast I was going. And I left it at that as I handed the officer my driver's license. He gave me a warning and let me go.

[@taylorthetunafish5737]

Thanks for pointing out that this is a trick question. However, it can be good to say yes and tell them your speed and indicating that it is at or under the speed limit. It's sort of a counter to their attempt at entrapment.

[@Wm.Havens]

I was pulled over on the interstate in heavy traffic, multiple lanes. When asked that question by a State cop I replied that I was moving with the body of traffic and watching all traffic around me and not my speedometer so I can't say exactly what my speed was. I got a warning and proceeded on my way.

[@palacegypsy3494]

Many years ago my Father was pulled over, the officer asked "Do you know how fast you were going?". Dad answered "Isn't the speed limit 55 on this stretch of road?" caught the officer off guard, they talked a bit and let us go with a verbal warning.

[@dynamicworlds1]

Yup, ask a question, don't answer anything directly.

[@Zundzer]

I recently got pulled over for speeding, but I knew for a fact that I was really focused on the road and didn’t realise how fast I was going and I didn’t that the car I drove by was an officer. I was too stunned to respond to the officer when he stopped me so he must have assumed I was being rude. Now I don’t even know if “I was really focused on the road and didn’t realise how fast I was going” is a valid argument in court.

[@jselectronics8215]

My wife and I were speeding. It was 10:30 AM, Glendale freeway in the early '90's. We were in the slow lane, doing about 80 when I saw a CHP a couple lanes over, but not up on me. I pulled over and stopped, he pulled in behind me and came to my window, asked why I pulled over. I said I was speeding. He thanked me for my honesty and let us go.

[@jdowies]

Also, if you say, "I don't know." Then the policeman knows that he can write whatever speed he wants and you can't dispute it because you just told him that you didn't know.

[@TimmehJay]

When I was a young man working for a hotel I got pulled over with a van full of passengers coming back from the airport. The cop thought I was speeding as I crossed in front of him at an intersection but I wasn't. He asked me how fast I was going through the intersection and I told the truth. I was literally going the speed limit, which was 55. I told him this and he went nuts, calling me a liar, trying to intimidate me. That worked, by the way, I was scared as hell. The cop was so mad that the passenger behind me, a complete stranger, told him that I was going 55 because he had seen the cop and looked at my speed out of reflex. That cop went absolutely insane, threatened to arrest me anyway, and told me he drove that stretch of road every day and was going to be looking for me until he caught me speeding. He never did but I think he pulled over some of my coworkers. lol

[@ilikecookies9796]

Off topic, but when I read the first line of your comment, my mind immediately started reading the next few lines to the tune of " the black parade".

[@TheJudgementofDog]

"Do you know how fast you were going?" "Why? Did you forget?"

[@earllsimmins9373]

I told him I always pace myself with the traffic,and since there wasn't any traffic I was trying to catch up so I could pace myself. I got a laugh and a ticket.

[@garyurtiaga9426]

When CHP (Calif. Highway Patrol) pulled me over doing 80 MPH on a 65 MPH (freeway), he asked me if I knew why he was pulling me over? I replied, no sir, but I can tell that you’ve been around a while (he was seasoned) and that the CHP has the highest conviction rate of an Law Enforcement Agency in Calif, so I’ve got to believe it was for a damn good reason! No ticket, just a thank you sir and a verbal warning.

[@jesuscross9]

Great response. I never knew how to respond to that question. I've had them ask me "where's the fire?" When I said I wasn't aware of any fire, he asked why I was speeding. I knew that was a trick question.

[@GARDENER42]

Last time, I said "yes & it wasn't the speed you're going to say it was". He said"what speed was that?" I said "you tell me". He then burst out laughing, said "we both know how fast you were going" & told me to tone it down. No ticket

[@user-ix4gv6it6c]

Very well done and informative video. Thank you. My answer before this video was, " I am sorry Officer, I thought you were trying to race me." Subscribed 🙂

[@speedygreenie]

I've been pulled over for speeding probably about 5 or 6 times in my life. And not once did they ask me how fast I was going. Rather, they told me exactly why they pulled me over and exactly the speed they clocked me at. And they were right. lol. They never exaggerated my speed.

[@blaynegreiner9365]

Because this propaganda that cops are out to get everyone is a load of bullshit. They don't want to admit that there are people good and bad at their jobs, or just good and bad period, with law enforcement being no exception.

[@danielleanderson6371]

@@blaynegreiner9365 The problem is that improper law enforcement has the likely outcome of dramatically changing or ending a person’s life. They must be held to the highest standard.

[@erinlisabutler7808]

Woman! I love you!!! I once had a police ask me if I knew why he pulled me over. I honestly had no idea and suspected he was fishing, so I just said, No, but you pulled me over so I guess you know. He let me go. Wonderful channel, subscribed!!!!!!

[@avishevin1976]

When I was a teen, I was driving on the highway in excess of the speed limit and I got pulled over. Thing is, my car’s speedometer only went to 85, so when the officer asked if I knew how fast I was going, I replied “no.”

[@TexasScout]

Many years ago I was headed to a basketball playoff for my sons school I’ve been cruising probably about 40 minutes on this back road when I talk to Hill in a Texas Department of Public safety officer caught me on Radar pulled me over. When he walked up to the car he says do you know how fast you were going? I said well I had the cruise control set at 85 so probably yeah. He bust out laughing so hard I thought he was gonna spit something out. I did get a ticket for 85 but it was worth it just to hear that laugh.

[@yessireebob9306]

I was *way* over the speed limit, zero traffic on the road, went by a speed trap. Cop pulls me over, walks up to my window and with a smirk says "I've been waitin' for you all day!" I said "Well I got here as quick as I could!" (Didn't really happen - I read it somewhere a few years ago. Thought it was funny.)

[@wlessfanable]

I told a cop "I only know you were going faster." The judge didnt think it was that funny either.

[@stavroskassinos7834]

My dad got pulled over only once to what I remember, but I’ll never forget it. It was when I was like 8, and we live in California but driving through Oregon. I was just looking at the view of the ocean along the road when we got pulled over. Of course none of us had any idea of why. And of course the cop asks my dad how fast he was going, without saying how fast he was going. I’m not entirely sure specific words that were said, but I do remember the cop saying to my dad how he was passing all the cars on the road, which I found an odd thing to mention considering there were very few cars on the road. If you don’t know my dad sometimes drives faster than what my sister and mom are willing to put up with, but they didn’t say anything this time so you can imagine their confusion as well. I’m not sure if he got a ticket or just let off with a warning but that just left me really confused as a kid

[@edmundgonzalez8731]

Did a tour at Ft Sill, OK, as a UH-1 crew chef in the early 80s. The airfield and barracks were away from the main base but had it's own access to H.E. Baily turnpike. For the most part only people who lived in those barracks used the road to the highway. A buddy of mine, Woody, and I were coming home and tootling up the road and a MP was coming the other. He was half way out of his window yelling for me to pull over. I pulled over and we looked at each other having no idea what we could have done wrong. The MP comes up and yells "Do you know how fast you were going!?" I gave Woody the WTF look then said to the MP, no. At this point he's was almost shaking and said "Yeah, well slow down!" He turned and left.

[@radumerkin]

From experience, I've been completely forthcoming and honest in my answer to this question. I could have had my license taken on the spot due to the speed I admitted to, however, was let off with a much lesser ticket because of my honesty and respect for the officer. If you want to risk annoying the officer by being cagey and evasive, you're not allowing the officer to exercise some leniency and discretion.

[@quanerams]

You’ve had like the only reasonable and realistic comment so far.

[@sedriquetyrone]

This needs more likes.

[@radumerkin]

For the record, this was in Australia on a country road. My answer: Well I was doing 160km/h when I overtook the two road trains that were at the level crossing, next thing I know you were tailing me, and I thought "who is this nutjob?", so I sped up to 180km/h, which is when you pulled up beside me with your stop police sign, so I slowed down safely on the road before stopping on the shoulder. If he had've booked me at 145km/h or over, my license was gone. He gave me a half hour lecture and a ticket for 140.

[@quanerams]

@@radumerkin even if that wasn’t the case. Just being honest and reasonable shows that you have respect for the law which means giving you ticket will be less effective in getting you to correct your behavior which is the end goal of police. If you are snarky, it shows you have no respect for the law and thus a form of punishment remains as the only option to try and get you to correct the behavior. Thus if you comply you are more likely to get out of a ticket.

[@radumerkin]

@@quanerams The fact that the officer asked lots of questions, and I answered all of them honestly, allowed him the space to correct my behaviour, rather than simply try to punish me. I count myself lucky, not only that I was dealt with leniently, but that I am still alive. I was speeding because I was late for something. That half hour lecture gave me some perspective. I was still gonna be late regardless. I haven't sped to that extent since.

[@Spinolio]

As the operator of a motor vehicle, you are responsible for knowing how fast you are going, so there is one correct, non-self-incriminating answer to that question: "Yes, of course I do."

[@johnmetcalfe2866]

I know this is an older video, but it just popped up in the algorithm for me to watch. Curious about your thoughts on claiming "defective equipment" during a speeding stop?? I had an attorney friend that got me out of a couple speeding tickets with that (for lack of a better word) "plea bargain" and kept them off my driving record that way. Is there a way to do that during the actual stop as well?

[@broken12367]

I’ve always answered with “the speed limit officer”. One cop did ask me one night if I was having trouble taking off 😂

[@successmeditations110]

As an ex cop, in Australia, I asked this question to see how attentive the person was. A person who knew what speed they were doing, and why, was less dangerous to the general public, which I was there to protect. Again, Australia not US.

[@azheatsource]

Got pulled over for making an illegal left turn, officer said to me did't you see the arrows? I said Arrows ,I did't even see the Indians.

[@TheHawk--oe8iq]

ROFL

[@billblue3159]

I was pulled over in my '66 VW bus in 1975, i think. When asked that question, I answered, "no sir, I was down in the engine room at the time". I had to follow him to Conyers, Georgia to pay my fine.

[@sw9669]

I have responded in the past with "I prefer not to make any admission" - the cops I've come across respect that answer and don't probe further. They already know if they are going to give you a ticket or not, you're not talking your way out of it. It shows I'm aware of my rights and exercising them.